Trapped
by Lady Destiny
Summary: New Orleans is a tough place, especially if you end up being stuck in a feud between two rivalling guilds. What's a Rogue to do?
1. Left Behind

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Trapped

Summary: During a mission in New Orleans, Louisiana, Rogue managed to slip out of danger's reaches as the X-team encountered a harsh trap set by a group of unnamed mutant-hater vigilantes. The X-team managed to get back to Bayville, however Rogue was not so fortunate. Roaming the outskirts of the New Orleans Bayou, she meets the son of a very powerful man who manages to get her involved in a feud between two rival guilds.

Author's Note: Hey all, I know I have the habit of starting new stories when I haven't finished my other ones, but I can't help it! My muse keeps talking to me at night when I have a pen and a piece of paper!

Disclaimer's Note: I do not own the X-Men nor any of its characters. I merely own the plot, which I write as I go.

…- mental conversation

"…" - normal conversation

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'…'-thoughts

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Everyone! Retreat! It's a trap! 

Rogue barely had the time to dodge a bullet aimed at her, carving a deep wound on her arm. The X-Team were trapped by morbid mutant haters that carried cages, tranquilizers and other various sorts of weaponry.

__

' Worthless power' Rogue thought bitterly as she used Storm's flight to her advantage. It would wear off soon, and she'd be powerless against an army of humans with long range guns. 

Head for somewhere Safe! Meet back at the Blackbird if you can! 

Rogue scoffed at Jean's commands. Since Scott was temporarily out of duty, being in Hawaii, the obvious replacement was Ms. Perfect Grey. 

__

'No time to be jealous' Rogue reminded herself and flew towards the forest. Growing up in the Mississippi bayous, she was used to the dark, dank environment. It sent chills of excitement racing up her spine.

Rogue, where are you? Jean's voice snapped inside Rogue's mind.

I'm somewhere in the bayou Rogue replied, levitating from the ground, keeping her nervousness down. It had irked Rogue to find that she had complete control of other people's powers, yet she had no control of her own. Her skin was still a danger to everything and everyone that had life. Yet, she could call up people she had absorbed and their powers for a short time.

She used Storm's flight to prevent snapping any twigs that would alert anyone of her presence. 

We can't wait. The mob found us. We'll be back. Keep safe! 

Rogue scoffed as she called up Wolverine's sense of hearing. She heard the high frequency of the jet and the creaking of its gears. _'Some family'_ she thought bitterly.

Using whatever powers she could summon, she tried to blend in with her environment. Using Amara's mutation, she kept herself warm as he sat comfortably up on a branch of a large Oak tree. With her X-Men uniform, she could blend in with the black night and the dark green of the leaves. 

Wolverine's sixth sense flared up and warned Rogue of uninvited guests. She used Storm's flight once more to hover higher in the tree, above the crowd that soon formed. With Logan's help, she heard snipets of their conversation.

" Y'sure y'saw somet'in' here, Rem? Mebbe y'eyes jus' play a trick on y'."

By the sound of their accents, they were local Cajun men. Rogue observed every one of the men in the crowd. There were only 6 of them, but one stood out even in the dark. She couldn't pinpoint just what it was… but the man was special. He wore strange fingerless gloves and donned a worn out trench coat. Rogue could see something metallic, like a stick or a rather large pen. 

" Oui, mon frere. Dese eyes be good fo' nights, let Remy see better dans le noir."

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'So his name is Rem?' Rogue thought. She cursed quietly as Storm's powers were weakening. Rogue had only touched Ororo for less than three minutes, so her powers could only surface at a limited time. Logan, however… had been less afraid to touch Rogue, even when she had no gloves on. Rogue assumed that she could summon Logan's powers for far longer than anyone else's.

" Assassin?" one of the other men asked

" Non, une fille."

The man, which Rogue now called 'Rem', turned towards her hiding spot as she slipped, dropping less than gracefully on a branch, causing it to move slightly. 

To most, they would have dismissed it as the wind, but to the men below Rogue, they knew better. 'Rem' looked straight at her, making Rogue wonder if he had seen her. Then she noticed the strange coloration of his eyes. They seemed to glow like rubies that glimmered in the sun. 

" Il y a fille dans les arbres," Rem said to his companions. (**translations: **There is a girl in the trees)

Rogue mentally beat herself for taking Spanish instead of French when she was in Mississippi. 

" Dans une arbre? Etes-Vous certain? " (In a tree? Are you certain?)

" C'est un assassin?" (Is it an assassin?)

" Je suis sûr, mais elle n'a pas eu l'air d'elle flottait" (I'm not sure, but she looked like she was floating)

"Flotter? Peut-être ces yeux du vôtre jouent des tours sur vous." (Floating? Maybe those eyes of yours are playing tricks on you)

"Bien quiconque elle est, elle est sur notre propriété." (Well, whoever she is, she's on our property)

Rogue was so engrossed in attempting to translate, she failed to notice the glowing playing card in 'Rem's' hand.

" Désolé ma petite," the man said. " Y'be trespassin'"

Logan's quick reflexes soon went into action as the playing card made a small explosion next to the branch that was holding her up. Rogue hoped Storm was fully rested and flew from her hiding place, revealing herself to the 6 men that gaped at her.

" Mon Dieu... c'est un ange," Rem exclaimed as Rogue hovered above them, trying to stop the ringing in her sensitive ears.

__

'Maybe if I act stupid, they'll think I'm mute…' Rogue thought, hoping that they didn't have guns with them.

"Non, son un fantôme!"

Before anything else could happen, a dagger shot from behind the darkness and flew towards the eldest man in the group. 'Rem' threw another one of his cards, which Rogue dodged easily in the air.

__

'Ya can't play th' same trick on me twice, ya bone-headed Cajun!' she thought, playing her mute act. 

The card exploded behind her, it knocked her from the air. She noted that it created a larger explosion than the first one. As she fell on the ground, 'Rem' caught her gingerly and held on tight. 

Rogue grunted as she pulled off her gloves and touched his bare face. She felt her imprinting powers pull on his energy as well as his memories. She tried to hold on longer, only to have the other men pull her away from 'Rem'. 

She took a rock and accidentally charged it with the same power that 'Rem' had done before. Before she got the chance to throw it, 'Rem' tackled her to the ground, causing her to hit her head on a tree trunk. Rogue could feel her consciousness slipping away, her body feeling heavy and limp.

" Sleep tight, p'tite. When y'wake… y'got some explainin' t'do."

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Author's Note: I know… Rogue is better than that… and the rest of the 5 guys just practically stood there. I hope this will get better soon…


	2. Angelique Distraite

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Trapped

Author's Note: wow. That was cool, I never thought I'd get that much feed back on the first chapter! Here's the second one, hopefully it's just as good.

..mental speech

"…" normal speech

__

'..'thought speech

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Remy watched the even rise and fall motion of the girl's breathing. He couldn't begin to fathom the reason why the girl, who looked no more than 16, was out in the Bayous all by herself. _'Not to mention flyin'.'_ Remy thought. There was something about the girl that had captivated his interests. Not many girls did that nowadays. Sure, Remy LeBeau, the son of Jean-Luc LeBeau had a knack in getting women in his bed… but that didn't mean that he was interested in them. 

Brushing off one of the girl's platinum streaks with one of his gloved fingers, Remy watched her, fascinated by her looks. She had short auburn hair that reached just towards her shoulders. There were shocks of white hair that framed her face, making Remy wonder if it was dyed on or natural. The girl had dark purple eye-shadow painted on her face, and an even darker hue on her lips. 

It wasn't the girl's make-up that intrigued the Prince of thieves, but he look of innocence that radiated from her, despite the gothic façade. Remy had to admit that none of the girls in New Orleans had that innocence, even though they were of high society. Remy had to admit, another thing he liked about her was her emerald-green eyes. 

During their search for their trespasser, he had caught a glimpse of those eyes, containing fire and strength. He wanted nothing more than to see them once more. 

'Dis gon'be a hard t'ing t'explain t'mon pere,' he thought. 'Fallin' fo' a femme y'barely even know fo' mo' dan a couple o' hours.'

Slight movement woke Remy up from his thoughts. The girl began to stir, groaning and massaging the back of her neck. Remy grimaced, apologizing slightly for having to hit her. The girl looked around her, checking her surroundings and gaping in awe.

" Wow."

" Remy wish t'hear de belle femme say dat in a more… preferable situation," Remy joked, making known his presence in the guest room. He chuckled as the girl glared at him and kept silent. 

She pushed the covers away, slightly surprised to see herself wearing a long silk, lavender nightgown. She tried to stand, only to crumble as she placed her weight on her legs. Remy caught her deftly in his arms, before she hit the floor, but he had no idea what was wrong with her. 

" Y'stay still, chere. Get some rest, y'done got y'self hurt last night…" he said, assuming that she did. His Tante Mattie hadn't seen any wounds on her as she changed the girl and had said that she may have a slight headache, but other than that, Remy had no idea what was wrong with the girl. 

" **Mercy**!" 

The girl seemed to flinch at his voice. He cursed, forgetting that she had a headache. Soon enough, a tall blond woman came in the room, a shocked expression on her face as she saw Remy.

" Remy! Y'know Tante Mattie told y'not t'bother de fille!" she scolded.

" Remy know, Mercy, mais… de fille be havin' some trouble," Remy said as he struggled to carry the girl in his arms. The auburn-haired girl squirmed, giving him a hard time. 

" Chil' no need t'be stubbo'n. Remy just gon' bring y't' Tante Mattie. She'll see what's gone wrong wit' y'," Mercy said gently, trying to soothe the girl. 

After a while, the girl sent limp and panted as she tried to catch her breath. Remy, being an empathic sensed her discomfort and placed her back on the large bed. 

" Remy, I t'ought y'gon' bring her t'Tante Mattie?" Mercy asked.

"De fille be uncomf'table. Remy t'ought it be best t'just leave her here fo'now," he replied. 

Mercy nodded and sat next to the girl. " What be y' name, Chil'?"

She just kept silent, gripping the nightgown, her gaze downcast. Mercy was patient and sat there beside her until the girl looked up at her with tears in her eyes. Gasping, Mercy realized that the girl didn't mean not to answer…

" Y'don' know y'name, Chil'?"

The girl mutely shook her head, tears falling from her eyes. " Don' y'cry none, we'll help y'. We jus' need a name t'call y'fo' now…"

Mercy examined the girl and thought of a good name. _'Marie? No… too ordinary… Jeanne… no…Anne… no…'_

Remy thought as well, keeping silent during the whole one-sided conversation. As he directed his gaze back at the girl, he had a thought.

" Mercy, what 'bout 'Angelique'?" he suggested. Mercy smiled and looked at the girl. 

" Dat sounds 'bout right. Angelique. Until we find y'real name, y'r Angelique."

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Author's Note: Didn't expect THAT now did you? I didn't think so! Where are the X-Men? Will Rogue -er Angelique ever find out who she really is? ^-^ lol TBC…

Reason why I chose the name Angelique:

In the original comics, they never really said Rogue's real name. Though in the movie her name was Marie D'Ancanto… The Evo Rogue doesn't look like a Marie. Angelique sounds sweet and it gives Remy an excuse to call Rogue _une ange _I already planned to call Rogue: Cherlyn pronounced: _sher_- lynne. In Implied. 


	3. Fitting Name

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Trapped

Author's Note: Didn't expect Rogue had amnesia? Well neither did she. Here's her point of view on the last chapter.

=================================================

I woke up feeling sore and tired. As my vision cleared, I realized I had no clue where I was, but I did know that it was someplace classy. The room was well furnished with stolen antiques. How I knew they were antiques? I have no clue and as for them being stolen… I haven't the faintest idea. The room was in short- Lavender. The walls were lavender as were the covers and the curtains, albeit a darker shade.

As I looked around, I was astounded at how beautiful things were!

"Wow."

It was all I **could** say. Soon, an auburn haired man began to come onto me. I thought it couldn't get any worse. As I sat up, I found myself dressed in a silk nightgown. I felt like a princess. I wanted to thank the man… but I couldn't seem to find anything to say. I was tongue-tied… I couldn't remember just what word was what…

I tried to stand, but my legs didn't seem to cooperate with me. I was about to get up close and personal with the hard-wood, when Remy… the red on black eyed man caught me. He started saying something… but I was too engrossed with how I knew his name. 

Then it hit me. My skin. There was something about my skin that kept me from being so close with people… I just couldn't remember why or just what it was. 

" **Mercy**!"

His voice sent shivers up my spine, but he was yelling for someone, and that did not help my headache. Not at all… soon, a blonde haired woman came in. It was Mercy, Henri's wife. 

How did I know that? She asked me what my name was? What is my name? That frightened me. How is it I knew who these people were, yet I have no idea of what my name was? How is it possible that I knew about the stolen furniture, but I had no idea how old I was? 

I started crying and Mercy started talking. If I could understand them… why can't I talk? Did something happen to my brain? Maybe some nerves were cut that I can't speak or walk? I didn't want to hear any more. I felt horrible… confused that I no longer knew where I came from, or if I even had a family. 

Angelique. They said my name was Angelique… I like it. At least its not… oh I don't know… Marie or Jean… I don't know why, but those names just send shivers of horror up my spine. Something about them… maybe they were connected to my past somehow? Maybe.

I keep seeing flashes of memories… but they don't seem to fit. I see battles, but they don't look like mine. Right, how am I supposed to know that? Maybe I'm a psychopath… no… if I was I'd be in an insane asylum, won't I? Just like W-… what was it… it started with a W. 

Maybe it'll help… so tired. So hungry… I should stop thinking… try to figure it out later when I've gotten more to eat. Yes… later… so for now… I'm Angelique. 

Angelique… Distraite. Forgetful. How fitting. 

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Author's Note: I know, its far-fetched, but hey! I like it… lol ^-^ Basically, its like she doesn't know whats happened and for some reason, she just can't talk. She just said Wow… but that's pretty much all she can verbalize for now. Reason why: next chapter!


	4. Must Read!

Hey all! Thank you all so much for your patience, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to have my stories on hold. You see on August 14'th 2003, there was a fire that spread somewhere in the North Eastern part of the States and it created a huge black-out in the South Eastern part of Canada, where I'm at.   
  
Government are trying to even out power by making scheduled blackouts to keep people from being kept totally in the dark. NOT a pun. Until the whole situation is over, My mom thought it best not to update for a couple of days until the whole ordeal is over. Hopefully I can still type up my stories every couple of hours, but it's all I can do.   
  
I'm positive that by August 20th 2003, the power outage problem will be solved, so until then, please stay patient and pray for all those who were caught in the fire.   
  
Thank you for your time and patience,  
  
Lady Destiny 


	5. Reactions in Bayville

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Trapped

Author's Note: Okay! I got things down pat! Lol ^-^ I don't think the threat is over, but as long as I can type and upload, I might as well!

"…" normal speech

…mental speech

'….' Thought speech

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Scott couldn't help but worry over Rogue's welfare. She had been in New Orleans for nearly four days now and still, she hadn't contacted Xavier, nor did she call. Xavier had done all he could with Cerebro, but Rogue hadn't used her imprinting powers at all as of late. 

" What could have happened?" he asked.

Jean frowned and sat back on her chair. For the first few days, it had been easy playing the concerned friend, but after four days of hearing nothing but 'Poor Rogue', she just couldn't help but feel jealous of the girl. 

Scott began to wonder why they didn't wait. They had enough time to retrieve her yes, but Jean insisted that they leave. It made the fearless leader think about Jean's intentions. 

" Scott, I'm sure she's fine. After all, wasn't she accustomed to the weather down there?" Jean asked, trying to get Scott to shut up. 

Scott glared at the red head and merely sat back on his chair. " We should've waited."

The X-Men were all assembled in the kitchen, eating breakfast while Scott walked back and forth trying to think up a plan. 

" Look man, if you don't stop that, I'm going to impale you with a bone!" Evan threatened, knowing fully that he could. 

" Ja, mein herr. It vould not help Rogue if you dug a hole in ze floor," Kurt said as he fiddled with his image inducer. His normal blue, fuzzy image flickered until he looked somewhat like a normal German boy. 

" Like, we all feel anxious that Rogue's like, stuck down there, but I'm sure she can handle it," Kitty said taking a bite out of her bagel. " I mean, like Jean said, she **is** from the south."

Jamie Maddock, the youngest X-Men sighed, his spoon, creating a loud **clang** as it fell on the bowl. " When is she coming back?"

No one could answer the brown haired boy. Out of all the X-Men, Rogue had been the closest thing to family that Jamie ever had. Rogue was gentler with the boy, acting like a sister would rather than the frigid Goth that she was. 

" I'm sure she'll be back soon," Evan said, drinking the last of his milk. " As for me, I've got a date with gravel."

X-Men please report to the briefing room 

"Not fair!" Evan yelled, throwing his helmet on the floor. 

The teens made their way to the briefing room and found Xavier looking pale, well more so than usual. 

" What's wrong Professor?" Scott asked. 

" It's Rogue… Storm has gone down to New Orleans with Logan to try and find her."

Jamie's face brightened with hope. " Well? How is she?"

" It seems from what Ororo has informed me, Rogue is in the care of Mr. Jean-Luc LeBeau. The head of the Thieves' Guild in Louisiana," Xavier said. 

"What's the good news?" Kitty asked.

Xavier lowered his head and sighed. " That was the good news."

" Zen… vhat's ze bad news?" Kurt asked; his tail drooped, anticipating the news.

" Rogue has lost her memories and without any **real** family to claim her legally, she's going to have to stay in New Orleans until she regains her memories."

Jean smiled, but placed her hand over her mouth, making it look as if she were concerned. However, Kitty had seen her smiling, making the girl wonder if Jean was in fact whom she acted like she was. 

Jamie frowned, sinking lower in his seat. " What are the chances of her regaining her memories?"

Xavier shook his head and looked at Jamie sadly. Kurt turned away and teleported out of the room, not wanting to know the odds. Soon, one by one, the all left Xavier to his thoughts. 

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'I hope you pull through this, my dear… '

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Author's Note: That was short, ne? Well, the first three chapters were meant to be. Next chapters are hopefully going to be much longer and more detailed. Plus it's all ROMYs.


	6. Julien

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Trapped

Author's Note: This chapter will occur a few days after 'Angelique' has been caught by Remy and his guild. I will now be calling Rogue: Angelique or Angel.

…Mental Speech

"…" Normal Speech

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'…'Thought Speech

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Angelique scrutinized Remy as he went through his daily 'thief training'. She had been under Jean-Luc's wing for nearly a month or two now and they had found her to be a quick learner, not to mention a fast healer. It seemed that most of her body parts had been damaged due to Remy's card explosions, which was the reason for her handicap as well as her temporary speech problems. 

Everyone had thought that Angelique would regain her memories, but unfortunately fast healing didn't include memories. Jean-Luc was a kind- hearted man and had offered his care to her. She had to relearn most grade-school subjects, fortunately for her, Tante Mattie was known for her patience and her vast knowledge.

The LeBeaus had figured that Angelique had to be from the south. She had an accent, even though she ended up talking like a true-born Acadian, she still had that southern drawl that one would have when born in Mississippi or Tennessee. Tante Mattie had just thanked the good lord that she was a fast learner when it came to French. 

"Come on, chere. C'est simple."

Angelique shook her head as she sighed and stepped forward. Henri, Remy's older brother was the 'target'. Since Henri was also a thief, he would feel the lightest touch. 

"Y'expect me t'be able t'steal from y'brot'er?" Angelique asked, shaking her head, trying to figure out the logic in the situation. " Henri… vous ne pouvez pas être sérieux, n'est-ce pas? Je peux voler à peine un petit gâteau du pot de petit gâteau!" (**You cannot be serious, can you? I can barely steal a cookie from the cookie jar!**)

Herni and Remy smirked at the girl's outrage. They had only been with her for a week, a mere 7-day span and yet, they knew when she was truly angry. During her stay she had learned quite a lot, and they found that she would switch to French dialect when she got really angry- just like a true Acadian woman. 

" P'tite, calm down… Pere **did** say y'were gon'be one o' de best," Henri explained. " Might as well start trainin' wit' de best!"

With an exasperated groan, Angelique nodded. Henri brought out a fat wallet and placed it in his coat. To make things easier, he showed her the pocket in which he placed the wallet into. They replayed a scene, where she would approach Henri and surprise him by doing anything- bumping into him, talking to him… anything to get the wallet.

Angelique ran her bare hands through her auburn hair and sighed. Remy sat on one of the desks and watched. Angelique didn't bump into Henri, instead, she tapped him and waited for him to turn around. 

" Pardone-moi, monsieur. Savez-vous où la Route de Cayenne est? Je suis petit perdu..." she asked fluently in French. (**Pardon me, sir. Do you know where Cayenne Road is? I'm a little lost**)

Henri played in the scene, never noticing how close she was getting as he pointed the direction where she would turn. After he had shown her the way, she smiled brightly and said her thanks. 

" Merci beaucoup, monsieur," she said and walked towards Remy, handing him the wallet. " I can't believe I did it…"

Henri looked at her, slightly confused, until he felt for his wallet. Laughing, the elder man ran up to Angelique and gave her a friendly hug. 

" That was brilliant, p'tite! How'd y' do it?" Henri asked.

Angelique blushed modestly. " Y'always point to where the signs were. Plus… m'quick reflexes helped wit' y'not feelin' me takin' the wallet."

Remy smirked. " Mebbe de fille should try a more… harder target?"

Angelique sighed, knowing what was to come. " Maybe Ah should… Ah…should try again. Jus' t'see if it wasn't a fluke o' somet'in."

Henri nodded in thought. " Dat be a good t'ing t' do. Dat be easy if y'target would jus' show y' where his money be…"

Angelique smiled her thanks to Henri and was about to give him the wallet when Remy swiped it from her grasp.

" Y'afraid, mon chere?" Remy taunted, waving the wallet in her face. The red-on-black eyed man smiled as he saw Angelique's green eyes glow with anger as she narrowed them into slits. 

" T'be crushed by y'ego? Oui. Even Papa Jean-Luc'd be scared o' bein' crushed by somet'in dat big!" Angelique hissed, struggling to reclaim Henri's wallet from the man who towered her by more than four inches. 

" Be nice, Ange. Remy jus' tryin' t'get under y'skin."

The two stopped and turned towards the speaker. Jean-Luc stood not far from them, with a twinkle of laughter in his old eyes. 

" Angelique, p'tite, what did I tell y'about bein' mo' feminine?" Jean-Luc asked, amused by the fiery spirit that pouted before him. 

" But Papa Jean-Luc. Ah don' wan' t' be mo' 'feminine'. Dey too stuffy!" Angelique whined, crossing her arms before her chest. 

Jean-Luc looked over his newest 'child'. He had to admit that he agreed with his 'daughter'. Most of the females in New Orleans were very high bred and… stuffy. Angelique was unique in keeping her dignity and yet showing her spunky side. 

"Mais, p'tite, if y'don' try… y'can't come t'de ball t'night…" Henri said, trying to make the auburn haired woman agree. " If y'stay here… Tante Mattie will have to miss it as well…"

Angelique bit her lower lip and sighed. She could never deny another person fun, so she nodded. " D'Accord. Do wit' me as y'need… jus' don' expect me t'like it!"

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Angelique frowned as she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked like something out of a magazine. Her auburn hair was left flowing, cascading down her back. It was surprising how long it was. When she had first arrived to the household, her hair was barely touching her shoulders. Now it was past her shoulder blades, a good 8 inches longer than she first had it. She wore a shimmering emerald dress that felt smooth as a rose petal. 

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'Ah wonder who Papa Jean-Luc is tryin' t'impress wit' de riches?' she thought to herself. 

She'd never recalled ever been to a ball, but then again, she hadn't had any recollection of her past before she woke up in one of the LeBeau guestrooms. 

" Ah, Chere, y'should dress up mo' often… Remy likes what he sees."

Angelique didn't bother to turn around, knowing only one man in the entire household who never called her by her given name.

" Remy, shouldn't y'be flirtin' wit' some blonde o' somet'in?" Angelique asked. 

Remy laughed and stood behind her, dangling something in front of her eyes. As he lowered it down to her neck, Angelique couldn't help but gasp as he clasped the necklace on. It was a simple silver angel that hung on a silver chain. 

She couldn't help but smile at its meaning. Remy would always remind her how angelic she was when she smiled. Most of the time, she would frown on purpose just to spite him. 

" Dis gon'help y' remember t'smile mo' often, chere," Remy whispered, sending chills down her spine. 

Angelique ran her fingers across the pendant, feeling happy. The two months she'd spent under Jean-Luc's care had been nothing short of a dream. She had been educated until she could speak again, fed and treated like a guest. She'd come to know the LeBeaus as family and saddened her to know that she'd have to return to her real family soon. 

" Now come, Chere… de ball awaits," Remy said, extending his arm for her to take. Angelique humored him and took it politely. " See, dat wasn' s'hard, was it?"

" Don' get used t'dis Remy LeBeau. Ah ain't dat kin' o'fille."

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The Boudreaux ball was, short to say, exquisite. The hallways were adorned with orchids and lilies. It seemed Jean-Luc wasn't the only one trying to impress people with their riches. Angelique looked around, catching the attention of half the men in the hallways. 

From Tante Mattie's lessons, Angelique knew it wasn't good to be the center of attention. She'd learned about the traditions of the rivaling guilds before she learned basic algebra. It was more logical to learn how to survive through New Orleans than how to add. 

Remy kept winking and smiling at the women, ignoring the glares he was receiving from the women's fiancés. Remy guided Angelique through the crowd, his hand protectively placed on her lower back. 

"Y'wan' t'go home, chere?" Remy asked.

Angelique looked at him, wondering why he'd gotten so tense. "Ah'm fahne Rem. Ah t'ink y'be a bit stressed."

Remy sighed and nodded. " Oui, Je suis. Remy hates Julien, he be not'in but-" ( **Yes, I am**)

He stopped, seeing Julien coming towards them. Angelique pursed her lips in thought. The ball was held for Marius Boudreaux's son, Julien. He just turned 20, the traditional age for the Assassins Guild to wed. Most who attended these kinds of balls were aristocrats who would flaunt their daughters to whomever was of age, hoping to expand their finances as well as their personal safety.

" Ah, Je ne crois pas que nous avons rencontré, Mlle?" Julien asked politely.

" Angelique. Angelique Distraite." Angelique replied, curtsying slightly

"Ah, un beau nom pour une belle femme," Julien said, kissing Angelique's hand. " Je m'appelle Julien. Enchante, Angelique."

Remy tensed, clenching his jaws. He'd never told anyone, not even his own father of his growing feelings for the girl. Angelique had been a challenge for Remy at first, having no recollection of her past and struggling to speak. But now, she was a woman he'd come to respect- and love. 

They hadn't spent much time together, but he'd vow to change that. Angelique had been too busy helping Tante Mattie with household chores, school as well as training to just have fun. But now that she was more than capable of fending for herself, Remy felt that she wasn't letting loose. 

" Pardon, Désolé Julien, mais, Remy have t'introduce Chere t' de crowd," Remy said.

Julien frowned, glaring at the man, but smiling nonetheless. He watched as Remy continued to walk with Angelique draped on his arm

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'Angelique Boudreaux… dat sounds… so sweet'

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Author's Note: Hopefully I can update faster than I did before… dang! Next chapter:

We see how the X-Men are handling the two months without Rogue. 


	7. Finding Rogue

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Trapped

Author's Note: Hey everyone! How are you! * Ducks from all the vegetables thrown at her * I know! I know! I've left for a VERY VERY long time… and I know I lost most of you already… but I hope I can regain you guys…if I updated more, oui?

… Mental Speech

"…" Normal Speech

'…' Though Speech

Random thought: are Corn a vegetable or grain?

=================================================

The ball was majestic, more than twenty couples dancing to classical music. The scene looked as if it were from a movie, or a painting. Ororo had never attended a high-classed balled without needing to research security for thieving purposes. The guests all smiled with false sweetness and the women looked like they were being weighed down by their jewelry.

Ororo scoffed as she passed by a rather arrogant man who looked at her with interest clear in his eyes. Suddenly, a possessive arm was curled around her waist, and Ororo could feel a large, warm hand on her stomach. Ororo tensed as she realized that it was a man that was behind her, and from the feel of it, he was very muscular.

"Fine her yet?" it was a gruff voice hinting to Ororo that Logan was its owner.

"No," Ororo replied, immediately relaxing. "There are too many aristocrats… I'm not even sure if she's here."

Logan growled as he led Ororo to the dance floor. " They all wear cheap cologne…"

Ororo laughed as Logan complained about the noise and the over-perfumed room. They twirled and tried to look as if they were enjoying themselves, until a loud voice had stopped the orchestra.

" Mes amis bienvenus, à mon anniversaire du fils bien-aimé. S'il vous plaît, une valse à mon fils, Julien. Vous pouvoir tout assiste à son jour de noce!"** (Welcome friends, to my beloved son's birthday. Please, a waltz to my son, Julien. May you all be present at his wedding day**)!

Applause broke out amongst the crowd and the orchestra started playing a more lively song. Couples began to dance to the music, but Logan and Ororo decided to watch at the sidelines. They eyed the brown haired man with interest as he conversed with other people.

"Who was that?" Logan asked, his curiosity getting the best of him. Ororo was about to reply, when a soft, familiar voice beat her to it.

"He is Marius Boudreaux. He is th' father o' th' assassin's guild…"

Logan immediately recognized the voice and turned around sharply. To say Ororo was surprised was an understatement. Before them, was Rogue… but she looked so different!

The Rogue they knew was a Goth who could care less about her looks and what people thought about her… this girl, was more like a dignified woman of the upper class. Logan would never have believed it was Rogue, but his senses were not lying. The woman before them…was Rogue.

" Y'not from around here are y'?" she asked. Logan and Ororo noticed that her accent was different as well. Logan noted the length of her hair, and was at awe at how her being seemed to glow. 

"N-no, we are not," Ororo replied after recovering from the shock. " May we ask what that man just said?"

Rogue smiled and nodded. " No problem… y'see this ball is fo' his son, Julien. He jus' turned 20, an' dat's the age of marriage in the assassin's guild. This party is almost lahke an engagement announcement as well."

Logan nodded hesitantly, "So why are you here, stripes?"

Rogue looked at him strangely; recognition flashed in her eyes for a second, but disappeared just as quickly. "H-have Ah met y' before?"

"Angelique! P'tite."

Logan growled as a red-eyed man placed his arm around Rogue's waist, much like Logan had done with Ororo. Rogue smiled sweetly at both him and Logan before she continued speaking.

" Remy, Ah was jus' talking t'-" Rogue looked at them expectantly. 

Ororo, catching the drift, introduced herself. " I am Ororo Munroe and this is Logan," she said as she held out her hand. Remy took her hand and planted a polite kiss on it and shook Logan's outstretched hand. 

He smirked as Logan applied some pressure into the handshake.

" Je m'appelle Remy LeBeau, an' Remy believes y' met Angelique?" 

Rogue…Angelique looked at Logan again. " Wait… Ah **know** you!" 

Logan's and Ororo's eyes widened with anticipation. Remy seemed nervous as he tightened his grip on Angelique.

" Y' th'… Wolverine!"

==========================================

Logan's breath was caught in his throat. 'She knows…' he thought. A grin broke out on his face, and he prepared to give her a hug when she continued.

" Ah've had so many dreams… maybe…" Angelique looked at Remy, her eyes getting misty. " Remy… this may be mah chance to find out who Ah am!"

The grin on Logan's face slowly disappeared. ' Dreams?' He looked at Remy and found a frown of disapproval on his face. ' Who does this prick think he is?' Logan thought.

"Remy? Are y' okay?" Angelique asked. She pulled off her glove, and Ororo was tempted to lunge at her to save the boy's life, only to find her touch did nothing to the lad. Angelique placed her palm on Remy's forehead, her eyebrows knitted together in concern. " Y' temperature is fahne…"

Remy shook his head gently and took Angelique's hand. He gave it a light kiss, not letting it go. 

"Non, p'tite, jus' tired," Remy lied. " We should go. Papa might get worried."

Angelique nodded hesitantly. " Oui…"

She looked back to Ororo and Logan. " Do y' have a place t' stay?" she asked. 

" We got a motel just a few blocks from here," Logan replied. Ororo kept silent, observing Rogue and Remy. 

'Rogue seems much happier here…' she thought sadly. 'Perhaps…'

" Can Ah meet y' there t'morrow?" Angelique asked, sounding almost desperate. "Ah…-"

"Ange, Y' got an appointment wit' Henri remember?" Remy interrupted her, intent on keeping Angelique from the feral man. "B'sides, Remy don' t'ink Papa would be happy 'bout y' goin' alone."

Ororo wondered why the boy would want to keep her away from them. " Yes… I believe that we should meet you at your house… it would seem more appropriate, then perhaps we could meet your father?"

Remy scowled at Ororo, but made sure that Angelique would not see. ' Remy don' know what y' after, but y' not goin' t' have Angelique!'

" Dat be fine," Remy replied sharply. " Come, p'tite, before Julien notices."

Ororo watched as Remy led Angelique into the crowd and out of the mansion. 

" You wondering why that boy is so adamant on keeping us from Rogue?" Logan asked.

Ororo nodded, " Yes, I am… what could they be hiding?"

"We'll find out tomorrow, 'Ro."

Ororo narrowed her eyes at the crowd. ' Whatever you're hiding LeBeau… we'll find out, and we're getting Rogue out of there!'

Unknown to Ororo, Logan was thinking the same thing. ' If that prick lays one hand on her, I'll personally see to it that he doesn't stand when he goes to relieve himself'

****

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Author's Note: I know! You all waited for months… I'm sorry but this is all that my brain can come up with, especially since I've had writer's block for quite some time… It's rocky, like the prologue…NO!


	8. A funny moment

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Trapped

Author's Note: ^^;; Okay, I think you know have my permission to whack me upside the head… I was gone for SOOOO long…. Here's the next chapter. I hope it'll tide you over until next week.

Hope my schedule goes according to plan.

==================================================

It was a fine day for pick pocketing, and tuning up on thieving skills, yet Remy was using his time to pace around his room. Ever since Julien Boudreaux's gala, the only thing on Remy's mind seemed to be Angelique. Everything was happening so fast. A couple from Angelique's past had appeared during Julien's birthday celebration, and Remy viewed them as a threat.

As he ran his gloved hand over his thick auburn hair, Remy's mind wandered to the pair. He recognized the woman from years before. Her name was Ororo Munroe, she was one of his father's thieves from Cairo, but she had left the family. She and the LeBeau family were no longer in contact. And with her connection with Angelique, Remy hoped it would stay that way.

He heard a knock on his door, and before he could utter a word, Tante Mattie stepped in.

" Chil' why be y' poutin' in yo' room?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Remy shrugged, taking a deck of cards from his pocket, and began to shuffle them around.

"Jus' takin' a break, Tante," Remy lied, charging a few of the cards as he juggled them. " Remy jus' tired."

Tante Mattie rolled her eyes," Right, I s'ppose dat Angelique don't have nothin' t' do wit' y' bein' dis way?"

"Angelique?" Remy asked, turning around to face the window. " Non."

Sighing, Tante Mattie shook her head and said," _Pas l'inquiétude, petite celui. Angelique ne vous partira pas. Elle veut savoir seulement de son passé_." **[Trans: Don't worry, little one. Angelique will not leave you. She merely wishes to know of her past.]**

Remy scoffed, dropping a charged card on the floor. Tante Mattie winced, knowing she would have to replace the floors.

" _Mais… pourquoi?_ Why do she have t' know 'bout her past?" Remy asked, " She got us now, th' people she was wit'… dey left her! Why do she want to know 'bout dem?"

" It be de way we be, Rem," Tante Mattie replied, hoping to have comforted the boy, " Angelique knows she will always belong here, _mais…_ some part o' her will always wan' t' know."

With that, the elderly woman quietly stepped out of the room, leaving Remy alone with his thoughts once more. Grunting with frustration, Remy somersaulted out his window, landing gracefully on the lawn. 

" Remy?"

Turning around, he found Belladonna, Julien's younger sister. She had a light blue summer dress on, and had a look of wanting on her face. It was a known fact that Bella had somewhat of a crush on Remy, but he did not see her in that way.

" Bonjour, Bella," Remy greeted politely, kissing her hand. "What y' doin' here?"

Bella smiled seductively and sauntered towards him. " Julien wanted t' see Angelique, so I jus' came along."

Remy growled, " Julien's here?"

Nodding, Bella chose to ignore the angry look on Remy's face. " Oui, I think he be infatuated wit' dat fille, but who knows?"

" Pardon, Belle but Remy has to find l'Ange," Remy replied. As he walked away, he failed to notice the jealousy written on the woman's face. 

****

===================================================

Angelique placed a phony smile on, and nodded once in a while. She didn't really listen to a single word Julien was saying, but he wasn't making it easy for her to leave. She had been waiting for Wolverine and Storm's arrival, but instead she was stuck with Julien's company.

She had to admit, it was somewhat flattering, but the boy had nothing else to talk about but the guild. It was as if he had no hobbies other than cleaning his weapons.

" Ange?"

Angelique was roused from her thoughts, and she immediately placed another smile on her face. 

"Sorry, Ah must've spaced out there a bit," she said, " y' were sayin'?"

Julien moved closer towards her and took one of her hands in his. He placed a kiss on her hand and smiled. " C'est rien, ma cherie. I was jus' sayin' how beautiful y' eyes were."

" Oui, they are tres belle, mais, y' got t' be leavin."

Looking up, Angelique found Remy standing over them with his arms crossed. He had a frown on his face, and his eyes were hidden behind his sunglasses.

" Oh, oui," Angelique replied, " Ah have guests coming over. It would be rude t'-"

Julien shook his head, " Non, no need to apologize. A femme such as y'self don't need t' apologize f' nothin'."

Remy rolled his eyes, wondering how many times he heard that line coming from Julien. " Yes, yes, an' a femme like her don't need y' t' keep botherin' her. She knows."

Angelique couldn't keep herself from giggling. Julien glared at Remy, but he composed himself and gave Angelique a slight nod. As he left the room, Remy sat down on one of the couches, only to stand up again. He reached for the crushed box on the seat and looked at Angel. He cocked one of his eyebrows and lifted the box.

" What?" she asked innocently.

" When did y' two become such good friends?" Remy asked.

Angel laughed and smoothed the wrinkles on her pants. " Please, y' were th' one acting like a jealous boyfriend! When did y' become so possessive?"

Remy was about to answer, but he decided to bite his tongue. He didn't want to admit to her that he had fallen for her. The kind of hearts, the prince of playboys, had fallen for a woman who barely knew her age. He shook his head, wondering how it came to be.

" Rem? Y'okay?"

He nodded, and sat back down, careful not to sit on another gift. He tossed the crumpled box, which Angelique caught easily. She threw it over her shoulder, knowing it would land on one of the tables behind her. 

" Somet'in's not right," she said. " What's wrong?"

Remy took off his glasses and looked deep into her eyes. Angelique loved his eyes; they were as red as fire. Heavens knew Remy had a fire in him that Angelique knew would never burn out. He took her hands, caressing them, and running them on his face, loving their softness.

" Don't leave."

Angelique seemed shocked to hear those two words come from his mouth. "Wh-what? Why would I leave?"

There was silence between them, and she recalled her meeting with the Wolverine. Angelique smiled and pulled Remy close to her, giving him a big hug.

" Aw, don' be like dis," she said, " Ah'll always be here, after all, who's goin' t' embarrass y' when one of y' girlfriends come home?"

Remy's face fell. 'She don't know I love her?' he asked himself. He mentally slapped himself. 'Of course she don't know! Y' didn't tell her!'

Angelique rose, humming to herself, as she left Remy with his jaws on the floor. 

"How could Remy forget t' tell her?" he stammered to himself. ' I am so stupid'

===============================================================

Logan took a deep breath, as he and Ororo neared the house. This was it, he thought. The one chance to see what happened to Rogue. He vowed to bring her back, and he would stick to that vow. Ororo on the other hand, felt nervous to step inside the house. It would not be the first time she would meet Jean-Luc, and she knew that if Jean-Luc was the same man she knew… it would not be the last.

'Goddess help us'

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****

Author's Note: Like it? I thought putting Bella in there might spice things up a bit. 


	9. Stolen Kisses and New Engagements

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Trapped

Author's Note: Changed the font, not sure if it actually changes in ff.net, but whatever. It looks pretty. Here's the next chapter. By the way, still looking for the designated Butt-kicker.

If you wish to be the person who emails/reviews to tell me update as soon as possible... be my guest. Just please tell me beforehand.

ps. Yes Remy is Gambit

=============================================

Angelique sat idly, reading a book, waiting for her guests to arrive. She knew that they would arrive soon, but she didn't know when exactly they would arrive. When he didn't think she was watching, Remy would often peek into the room to check up on her.

"Rem, please stop," she said casually, flipping the page. "If y're so bored, why don' y' watch th' television?"

Remy sighed, and sat down beside her, placing his arms around her shoulders. He tried to find the remote, to find it levitating in front of him. He looked at Angelique strangely, knowing it was probably her doing.

" _Ange_, y' mind tellin' Remy why y' so worked up?" he asked, changing the channel and putting it on a cartoon show.

Angelique threw her book down, not in the mood for fantasies. Remy always knew when she was truly at a loss. They knew she was a mutant, but her powers were strange. Most of the time, she would be a fast healer, but when her emotions were in the way, various mutations would occur. From the weather to teleportation.

" _Je ne sais pas_," she said, using Remy's chest as a pillow. " What if they **are** _ma famille_?"

Remy tensed, and pulled her into a deeper embrace. " Dey're not y' _famille, cherie._ We are."

Angel nodded, and using her telekenesis, she levitated the book until it was at arms' reach. Remy decided to be a gentleman, and decided to reach it for her. She smiled, and made herself comfortable on Remy, continuing the page she left.

While Remy watched cartoons and Angelique read her novel, Jean-Luc was watching the pair in the other room, a plan starting to hatch in his mind.

"What be goin' on in dat min' o' y'rs?" Tante Mattie asked as she scrubbed the pots.

Jean-Luc chuckled and turned to the elderly woman. "I t'ink I jus' solved d'engagement _probleme_ wit' de Boudreaux..."

Tante Mattie stopped and looked at Jean-Luc with happiness in her eyes.

"Boy, dat be th' best t'ing I heard y' say since y' were a young'un."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Angel heard the conversation and wondered what they were talking about. Jean-Luc and Tante Mattie knew about her sensitive hearing and were cautious of everything they said.

"Rem?" she asked.

" _Oui, chere?_" Remy asked, playing with a lock of her hair.

" 'ow many cousins y' got?" she asked, placing her book down. She looked up, and found herself staring into Remy's red-on-black eyes.

" Lots, _pourquoi_?"

"Well, Ah jus' 'eard Papa Jean-Luc talkin' 'bout solvin' a problem wit' th' Boudreaux _famille_," she explained.

Remy gently pushed her off his chest, to better see her face. "After Henri _et moi_ would be Emil, Theo _et_ Lapin... _mais_ dey wouldn' do good t' marry off wit' Belladonna..."

Angel frowned, "Julien tol' me y' were engaged t' Belladonna..."

He nodded, and ran his fingers through his hair. " _Oui_, _mais_ Papa don' wan' Remy t'... so he be tryin' t' find a loophole..."

"Y' see, if de next in line be married, den dey go t' de nex' in de line..." Remy explained. " _Ou_ dey make it so dat the nex' in line be married..."

After hearing Remy say that out loud, Jean-Luc and Tante Mattie listened into their conversation. They knew that the couple were intelligent. They would soon come to the conclusion that **they** were the ones to be married.

" _Ange_ Remy t'ink y' be the solution t' dis..." Remy said slowly, hoping that she would react differently than what he was expecting.

Before anything could happen, the doorbell rang, and Angelique hastily left the room to open the front doors. Remy sighed, and turned off the television, since he wasn't watching anyway.

He had been content with having Angelique in his arms. He had turned on his empathy, and found that she was content as well... maybe he had pushed into things that could've waited...

Logan and Ororo waited patiently, until Rogue opened the doors. They couldn't help but stare in awe. The confused young woman they had known was gone. This woman was happy, radiant, and confident. Her long auburn hair was in a pony-tail, with her platinum streaks framing her delicate face.

She had decided to go natural, revealing her face to the world. Ororo was in tears, and Logan let his shields down enough to show how much he missed her.

But the woman before them showed no recognition in her eyes, besides the ones they had seen in the party.

"Come in," she said softly, while she led them into the family room.

Ororo saw Jean-Luc, and was tempted to greet her old friend, but she decided against it. She was no longer a part of the family, and had no ties to the thieves' guild.

Logan could feel the tension in the air, and a sense of anger from one of the people in the household. His nose led him to the same man that had led Rogue away.

Rogue sat on one of the large chairs in the room, and smiled at them. "Please, sit."

Remy refused to leave the room, but Rogue didn't seem to mind. Logan watched as he walked towards her chair, and stood behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder. Logan was ready to protest, when her hand grasped Remy's.

"Ah'm glad y' could make it," Rogue said softly, her voice wavering slightly. Logan could tell she was nervous. "Pardon me if Ah'm a bit jumpy... _mais_ Ah've only seen y' in mah dreams..."

"We understand," Ororo replied for the both of them. "Would you like to ask us anything?"

"Why'd y' leave her?" Remy asked, his voice cold, and his eyes burning with rage. Logan growled, and was about to attack, but Rogue stood and placed her hand on Remy's shoulder.

"Ah t'ink it be best y' leave, Rem," she said. "Ah can handle it..."

Remy looked at her, and nodded. But before she could turn, Remy placed a gentle kiss on her lips, surprising both Rogue and her guests. He left the room, and tried to cool down.

"Who's he really?" Logan asked. He saw the blush on Rogue's face, and continued. "From the looks of it, he's someone **close**."

"He's a good friend," Rogue started. " _mais_ Jean-Luc might arrange a marriage fo' us, if times become desperate..."

Ororo understood her, and nodded. It was the way of the guilds. Marriages were arranged, some were lucky to find love within the marriage. Others had to deal.

A marriage was sacred, and those who fell out of it, were punishable by death. It was not held highly within the society to have an unfaithful spouse.

"So you're serious?" Logan asked, not understanding their situation. Ororo placed a calming hand on his arm, and shook her head.

"I think it's best if we start answering her questions..." Ororo said. "I'll start by answering Remy's."

Rogue shook her head. " _Non_. Please, Ah... Ah don't think Ah'm ready to know why Ah was left."

Logan nodded, and took a sip of the tea, grimacing at its bitter taste. "Ask away, then."

"What was my real mutation?"

======================================================

Remy ran towards his father's study, wanting to have the full explanation. As he barged through, he found most of the guild already present.

"T'ought y' might come here," Jean-Luc said with a smirk. "Y' wan' t' know 'bout y' new marriage?"

" _Qu'est-ce vrai_?" he asked, trying not to sound too excited. As he looked around, most of the faces of his family were smiling.

That only meant one thing.

He wasn't marrying a Boudreaux.

" _C'est vrai?_" he inquired again.

Lapin, one of his cousins stepped forward. "Before dey say anyt'in'... Who be dis Angelique?"

Remy whooped, and started laughing. They didn't need to tell him anymore. He knew the answer, and it was the best gift he had ever received. After only months of knowing the woman, he was marrying her, and he couldn't be more happy.

" Tol' y' he'd know anyway," Jean-Luc said.

"When's de weddin'?" Remy asked, truly excited. "When y' gon' tell her?"

Jean-Luc placed an arm around his son, and smirked. "De sooner de better."

=======================================================

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Author's Note: That was fast... But keep in mind, the LeBeaus and the Boudreaux hate each other so much that they had to make sure they had a family joining just to ensure 'peace'. can't wait to see how Ororo and Logan explain Rogue's mutation...

And I can't wait until Jean-Luc tells Rogue about her engagement to Remy.

Problems are sure to arise... and don't worry, I have like... 20 chapters until this thing ends, and hopefully if SOMEONE were to keep emailing me to update... then I will surely NOT lag behind... and I WILL update...

TBC


	10. Back to the Beginning

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Trapped

Author's Note: Ah'm ALIVE! With special thanks to you, the readers/reviewers. Also, I'd like to thank Rogue07 who is now officially my butt-kicking reviewer! Thank y' kindly for remindin' me to update!

What's happening in Bayville, you ask? Truth be told, I'm not going into detail about the life of the X-Men until much, much later.

No offense to Jean lovers, but I find that she's way too perfect. Yes, fine, tell me I'm jealous, and I may be. It's hard not to be, I mean, it makes my self-esteem drop twenty points every time guys compare me to some chick they thought was perfect just because she's got a nice rack!

Anyway... On with the story!

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The Silence was uncomfortable, as Angelique's gaze shifted from Logan to Ororo. She knew that the question would create some tension, but she had no idea that it would be so thick.

Ororo seemed to avert her eyes every time that she made eye contact, and Logan would only grunt every two seconds.

"Was it really that bad?" she asked softly, taking another sip of her tea. Tante Mattie had always said that tea relaxes people, but it wasn't doing was it was supposed to. "In all o' m' dreams, Ah'd see glimpses of... people in pain..."

Logan looked up, as she continued. "Was Ah th' cause o' their pain?" she asked.

Ororo shook her head. "N-no, child... your... your gifts were different, yes," she started, unsure of how to continue. "But you were making progress, you were close to attaining control."

Angelique could only frown, confused as to what her mutation was, and why the woman would not inform her of what it was.

"Look, Ah don' need y' t' treat me like Ah'm some chil'," she replied curtly. "Y' tol' me t' ask, an' Ah did. Ah expect t' get some answers in return."

Logan smirked, relieved that her spunk had not disappeared. It made things that much more simpler. He felt his connection to her strengthen, and he cleared his throat to tell her the truth.

"Look, Stripes," he started. "You want to know what your mutation is, right?"

Ororo looked at Logan in horror. Surely he wasn't about to do what she thought he would. Rogue was happy, didn't he see that? Logan advanced on the southern belle, and was nearly touching her, when Ororo stood up.

"I'm sorry to cut out time short, and I apologize if we didn't answer your questions... but I'm afraid we have to leave," she said quickly. "Professor Xavier is expecting us. We'll return sometime next month."

Angelique seemed confused, and angered. How could they just leave? She had a feeling that the woman was hiding something, but what could it be.

Could Remy have been right? These people were not her family at all... they were just people whom she knew once.

"But 'Ro..." Logan started.

"Angelique, we shall return next month, **with** Professor Xavier," she said slowly. "Your question just caught us off guard. It will be hard to accept, and I believe that it would do you better if we brought a couple of your friends as well as the Professor, just in case."

Angelique nodded. " _Certainment_," she said unsure of her answer. "Mais... before y' go... what is mah name?"

Ororo stopped and turned around. "We didn't really know your real name, child."

Logan nodded sadly, " We knew you by a codename. Only Chuck really knows what your name is."

Angelique sighed, she wasn't getting anywhere. "What was mah codename?"

Logan smirked. "Rogue."

With that, Ororo and Logan left the LeBeau mansion, leaving a frustrated girl sitting in the living room.

She was no closer to her goal than she had been. She still didn't know her real name, she didn't know her mutation. She didn't even get the chance to ask any other questions.

'They stayed for ten minutes' she thought, and wondered if that was longer than their stay during the time they had left her in the LeBeau's backyard.

"Y'Okay, _Cherie_?"

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Remy had been in high spirits as soon as he left his father's study. He was finally going to be free of Belladonna. No mistaking, the girl was nice on the eyes, but that was pretty much all she had to offer.

'Well... maybe dat an' she's good in de bed' Remy thought.

But that was over. Remy was a player, yes, but after a while... all the girls seemed to look and feel the same. Belladonna was the best out of them all, but she was still just another girl.

Angelique, was completely different.

He loved her with all his heart. And he was overjoyed that she would be his for eternity. There would be no other for him. And God help any man who tried to get his _fille_.

He walked through the hallways with a grin on his face, looking like he had just stolen the biggest diamond in the world.

Passing by the living room, he spotted Angelique alone, sipping on a cup of tea.

"Y'Okay _Chere_?" he asked, walking into the room.

Angelique barely acknowledged his presence, but Remy knew that she heard him. He sat down beside her, taking the cup from her hand. He caressed the back of her hand with his thumb, knowing something must have happened.

'If Remy sees _les deux encore_...' he began.

Angelique stirred in his arms, and he gazed down into her eyes. He immediately drowned into those emerald pools, swearing obscenities mentally at the couple who had caused her so much torment.

"Rem, Ah'm back where Ah started," she whispered, leaning on his shoulders. "All Ah got from dem was a codename."

Remy frowned, "A codename, _Chere_?"

" _Oui_," she replied. "Rogue."

Laughter filled the room, and Angelique could only look at her friend strangely. "What is so funny?" she asked, standing up and placing her hands on her hips.

Remy smirked at the angry woman before him, noting that she looked even more radiant when she was angered.

"Rogue. Don't dat mean 'thief'?"

As they looked at each other, they broke down in a fit of laughter at the irony. True, Angelique didn't get much from her first encounter with her 'friends', but they would return.

Though, she wasn't about to tell Remy that.

==============================================

Logan couldn't understand why Ororo had bailed out. They were barely in there for ten minutes, and the look Rogue gave them had broken his heart.

" 'Ro, tell me again, why we left Stripes back there?" he asked. "I thought we were to bring her back with us?"

Ororo sighed, and nodded. "I know, but didn't you see her? She was happy... much happier than she had been in the institute."

Logan grunted. "We'll see how happy she'll be when she remembers us. I can practically hear the fans in the MedLab."

Looking out the window, Ororo decided to ignore Logan's last comment. Rogue had been happy. She could touch, and she had a family... but she also had family back in Bayville. Kurt would be crushed to know that his only sister would never be able to remember him.

And what if Logan was right? What if her memory returns along with her powers. She would feel betrayed, and she may never trust anyone again.

Everything would rely on their next visit. And hopefully it would last much longer than the first.

Logan, on the other hand felt differently from Ororo. The only thing he saw in Rogue was the confusion, much like he did when he had become conscious after being experimented on by Essex.

But he wondered if Ororo was right. Rogue had been able to touch. Was it possible that the only thing that kept her from attaining that control was trust? He knew that she never really trusted anyone in Bayville. What with the knowledge of Mystique being her mother, and having used her like a puppet.

Or was it just the knowledge of her power that kept her at bay?

Maybe Ororo had done the right thing after all. If Rogue remembered her powers...

The happiness she had would disappear.

'How the hell did things become so complicated?'

===============================================

Author's Note: Oh wow... that was different. I had planned to have them tell her, but that kind of threw me off. I mean, there were endless possibilities to what could have happened...

Rogue could have remembered and her chances with Remy would have plummeted... or not. We never really know.

Stay tuned for the next chapter:

The Engagement Party

TBC


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